Vehicular tank support



,Patented Mair. 2o, 1934 f 1,951,741 vEmcULAn TANK sUrron'r victor c. smith,y Norwalk, conn., assigner to Standard Oil Development Company Application August 4, 1930, Serial No. 472,785

3Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tank vehicles and has for an object to provide an improved mounting for supporting a tank upon a vehicle. 'Ihe invention will be fully understood- I from the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tank vehicle constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the rear end of the vehicle; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line III-III of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 designates a vehicle chassis, or frame formed of channeled side members, and 2 designates a tank, or container. In the embodiment shown, the tank is of substantially oval shape in cross section.

The tank is carried upon the frame by means of .a plurality of supports 3 which extend transversely of the frame at spaced intervals. Each support is provided with an upper supporting surface having, in general, the arcuate shape of the under surface of the tank. Each support comprises a cross-member or supporting frame work 3a, the ends of which rest within the channels of the side members 1. Each cross member .may be an angle bar, rod, pipe or other structural shape. Each cross-member 3a is provided with legs 4 which are secured rigidly to the cross-member and to the support 3. The length of the legs of each cross-member is increased progressively from the right to left oi the vehicular frame, as

viewed in Fig. 1, whereby the supporting sur-V faces of the members are disposed at progressively increasing distances from the frame. The tank therefore is inclined downwardly longitudinally' from Vfront to rear of the vehicle. Each crossmember carries a rubbing strip 5 of .closely woven non-absorbentfabrlc, such as brake lin- 40 ing, copper or asbestos fabric," or the like. The

tank 2 is disposed upon the rubbing strips and is .secured in position by means of a plurality o! straps 6 of steel, or other suitable material, which` extend around the tank and are secured to the cross-members. The cross-members carry a` running-board 'I at each side of the tank. y

The tank is supported upon 'a vehicle frame by a mounting which is of minimum lweight and which permits of carrying the tank in closely ow', spaced relation to the frame whereby the center of gravity of the tank is lowered. 'I'he mounting is constructed entirely of non-inflammable material and withl a minimum of parts.

Various changes and alternative arrangements may be made within the scope of the claims, in which it is the intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly vas the prior art permits.

1. In a tank vehicle, a chassis frame, a plurality of supports in the form of angle bars extending transversely across the frame rigidly secured to the frame and disposed in spaced relation longitudinally of the frame, eachangle bar having legs spaced longitudinally of each angle bar and extending upwardly above the angle bar, a supporting member having. an arcuate shape carried by the legs and sustaining the tank, the length of thelegs increasing progressively from the rear to the front of the vehicle whereby the tank is mounted in an inclined position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the supporting structure is made throughout of noninammable material, and a friction strip is ara v ranged between the arcuate member and the tank.

3. In a tank vehicle, a chassis frame having channeled4 side members, the channels of which face each other; a plurality of supports spaced longitudinally of the frame, each support com` lprising-a cross member extending transversely between the vside members and its ends tting into the channels of the side members, each cross member having upwardly extending projections constituting legs spaced longitudinally of eachcrossmember, and a supporting member having an arcuate shape secured only to the spaced legs. VICTOR C. SMITH. 

